Sunday, December 18, 2016

Day 18 - The Crucifixion

Can you find what symbolizes the great battle between Satan and God? Where is the sign that tells us who the battle was all about?

And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. — Luke 23:33 (NASB)

Jesus was the Son of God. But He didn’t resist when men came to arrest Him on false charges. He could have called angels to strike them down, but instead He let them beat him and lie about Him. He didn’t argue when they sentenced Him to die in a cruel and shameful way because He knew that was why He agreed to come to earth and become like us. It was God’s plan all along. The Bible says, “The payment for sin is death.” But since we are all so sinful, just dying for our sins could never pay enough. Only God’s perfect Son was good enough to do that. When Jesus said, “It is finished!” on the cross, He was giving every one of us the chance to begin again as His follower. Are you choosing to follow Jesus?

Today's Prayer

Lord, I can’t really imagine everything You were willing to go through for me. Thank You that You always had a plan to save me from my sins, even though You knew every bad thing I would ever do. Please help me always remember that You paid the highest price so I could be with You forever. Please help me always make You Lord of my life.

Today's Activity:

Have the children memorize John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Now help them make a poster to hang in their room that says, “For God so loved (child’s name) that He gave His One and only Son, so when (child’s name) believes on Him, (he/she) will never die, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Talk about “the plan of salvation” and help them understand “believing on Him” means also repenting of their sins and accepting Him as Lord of their lives.

Seek & Find Answer to the question in the painting above:The darkness and light show the great battle between Satan’s darkness and God’s light. The sign above Christ’s head tells us the battle was all about us. (Did you know when He was dying on the cross, He was thinking about you?)